May 18th, 2005
by LLDreamer445
Summary: We all remember that day. But what if for one person it ment something different.
1. May 18th 2005

May 18th 2005

Today was the day the world decided to starve her brain, starve it from something real. It was unlike this fake paste the world tried to shove down her throat. It was real, it was inspiring. Now she saw the darkness tainting everything beautiful. Now she saw that she was powerless against it. Her forehead ached from the wrinkle of a frown that had taken its permanent residence for the day. She felt the tightness of her jaws as she clenched them without relinquishment. She read the lines over until her eyes grew tired and her thoughts more infuriated and dirty with every word. How could this happen? She shook her head, eyes closed, and tried to calm herself. It was going to be a long day.

Lauren slammed her laptop shut. Today they had cancelled "Joan of Arcadia." In her life, it was a day that would live on in infamy. At the least, it was a stab in the heart. Not because it was a show, not because it was fiction, but because it was real. To her, the show was a lifeline. Things were happening in her life that she didn't understand, but Joan always helped her sort things out. Lauren wasn't your average teenager. She had visions, sometimes even dreams. They came true, that's what scared her. She knew the day her dog died, she knew that she didn't get the part in the school play, and today she knew the show was gone before she read the first line.

Things had started out slow with her visions. Some days it would be that she was going to spill a coke, others she would have little feelings. It was when she concentrated on things the most. They would interrupt her thoughts, all most as if on purpose. During a test, while she was auditioning, during an important conversation, it didn't matter, they still came. Now they were about important things, mostly things she didn't know how to stop. Making it even harder, she didn't know when her dreams were real or if she was having a plain, ordinary dream. Once, she had to reveal her visions to a friend because she'd had a dream he was doing crack. Fortunately, that was one of those normal dreams.

May 19th 2005

Lauren looked up at a tree. She smiled remembering the time Joan told God to show her a miracle. She walked along as she stared, her eyes traced the beauty of it. It really was a miracle.

"Oh," she bumped into someone, jerking her form her reverie. "I'm, sorry I-I," she paused as she studied the boy's face. "Kris Lemche?"

He smiled as her faced changed from apologetic to startled and confused. "Hi, Lauren."

Her eyes grew even larger at the sound of her own name. She searched his face. How did an actor know her name? "Are you stalking me from Myspace or something?" She proceeded around him to continue her path to school, yet he turned and followed her. "I didn't know actors were so creepy."

"I'm not and actor." She spun around to face him, when her eyes were directed at his corduroy jacket.

Still bewildered she asked, "What do you mean? You're on Joan of Arcadia."

"Sort of." He turned and walked the other direction only to be jerked back by the collar of his jacket by a puzzled Lauren. She studied his face hard. His face remained the same, as if he was predicting her every move.

"You're Kris Lemche."

"No, I'm God," he said with no emotion.

"Wow, you're good. I wouldn't be able to say that with a straight face." She crossed her arms and furrowed her brow with a slight smirk on her face.

"You know those little visions you've been having? That's me."

With that she hit the pavement, literally.


	2. A dream?

May 20th 2005

_It was all a dream_; she relieved her mind as she opened her eyes to the familiar ceiling of her room. That is, at least, until she raised her head, causing her to be aware of a painful knot on her head. She ran her fingers over her forehead. The knot was accompanied by a short gash. Her eyes widened at the realization of what had happened. Her mind raced across possible answers, a few of which included Kris Lemche on drugs and ways she could have bumped her head in her sleep. Finally she stumbled out of bed. The idea that she had dreamed it all up soon ended when she looked at her calendar. She frowned, nothing was making sense. She decided to drop it, let it sink in for a while, and head to school.

Today as she passed the trees, she didn't look at them. Today she made sure she was aware of her surroundings. Her eyes played tricks on her. She imagined a little girl with antennae by the swing set, that is until she walked over and greeted Lauren.

"Juliette Goglia?" She grimaced waiting for the response she knew was coming.

"Nope." God looked up at her with little glasses that made her eyes bulge and smiled.

"Yeah, so I heard you're going to be on some Disney Channel show, congratulations."

"Stop running. It's me, God."

"This is crazy, you can't be God. You're a little girl on TV." She looked for a little mercy in God's face, but she knew she wouldn't get it.

"I'm appearing to you this way because you recognize me this way. I know this is overwhelming."

"Is this a sick joke? Who hired you? Zac? Tell him I don't think it's funny." Again she tried to pass God by and again she failed.

"Have a little faith." Before Lauren could turn around and say something sarcastic, she was gone.

The rest of the walk to school she considered what was going on. What if it was really God? Would she be punished for not trusting him…her…whatever. She didn't know what to do. She breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of her friends. Finally, some normality. She approached them sitting on the steps of her high school. Zac flashed his perfect smile as he saw her, and Emily looked up from her makeup mirror to wave. They weren't perfect, but these were her friends. The dork and the ditzy cheerleader as she affectionately thought of them. Zac had a deep beautiful mind that he hid under his crazy personality. He was a special breed and his hair was even said to "swoop." Emily on the other hand was a cheerleader. It hadn't always been that way. The three of used to make fun of them, but somewhere something changed. Emily was the youngest of the three, a full year younger. Sometimes they bugged her about being a freshman, but it was only policy. She took a seat next to them, pulling a headphone out of Zac's ear to say hey. The school day was just beginning.

Three boring classes crept by and it was finally time for lunch, but all the while Lauren was consumed in her recent issues. She spotted Zac across the cafeteria, luckily Emily wasn't in sight. Before he even had time to realize she was there she grabbed his sleeve and led him to a secluded corner of the lunchroom. His back against the wall facing her, he gave her a questioning glare.

"Do you remember when we were talking about my visions and you brought up Joan of Arcadia?"

"Umm…" He shifted his eyes, not knowing where this was going. He shrugged.

"You told me that if I ever saw God to tell you."

A deeper confusion wiped across his face. He furrowed his brow, urging her on.

"I've seen him."

Author's Note: Hehe..okay guys thanx for reveiwing so fast. Umm I hope you like it, starting slow, but i have great plans...sorta


	3. The Rock

Authors Note: Okay, sorry it took so long, it wouldnt let me sign on for a few days. Umm well you might want to reread the last chapter because this oneis like 2 seconds after it. I'm busy with my church's VBS this week so i probably wont get another chapter for a few days. I got cool stuff going on in my head though so...be excited? Oh and I totally have been forgeting the disclaimer on all of these so im sorry, but im sure you guys already know I dont own Joan. For this Chapter I also dont own Wonka Cany Bars...

Lauren could hear the music playing in Zac's headphone that he had draped on his shoulder as she waited for a reply. It was a song from the upcoming school musical, Zac had landed a lead. That's all he ever listened to, Broadway music. She was suddenly aware of the expression on his face. She wasn't sure what his look of pity on her meant. She shut her eyes, revealing to her what he wanted to say. She opened her eyes again and looked back up into his face, letting a tiny tear fall so fast it could hardly be seen.

"You don't believe me." Her eyes questioned him.

He let his head hang, pulling his gaze from her quivering lip. All he could muster was a slight shake of his head. He heard a sniffle and he thought maybe the crack of a whimper, but he could not look her in the face. In his frustration he ran his fingers through his hair, unable to find his words. He sat there, slumped against the wall for a few moments. Finally he spoke:

"Gah, this is crazy. You can't expect me to believe you?" He rubbed his head. "I mean, what do you want me to say? 'That's great, tell Him I said hey?'" With every word Lauren shrank back, unable to believe what he was saying. "Is this your desperate cry for attention? First it was visions and now this? Just stop it!" He shoved past her, knocking her shoulder as he went.

Lauren let out a desperate last attempt as she followed him. "You have to listen to me" she bawled. People were staring, she didn't care. "Zac! Please, just wait!"

"God! What Lauren?" He faced her suddenly. She stared at him as he towered over her, not knowing what to say with a tear-streaked face. She did all she knew to do. She fell into his chest and cried. She cried there for a long time, not wanting to get up because she knew there would be big wet spots on his shirt. He rubbed her back, she knew he wasn't mad, just frustrated. That's how he was, not the best at expressing himself. He fiddled with her hair, it had been a long time since he had done that. Lauren felt a vibrating in his chest, she looked up, realizing he was humming. Of all the silly musical songs he knew, he was humming her favorite. It was "On My Own" from Les Miserables. It made since. It was a song about a girl who pretended her best friend, who was also her love interest, was walking with her in the rain at night. Finally she untucked herself from his embrace and looked at his face. "I'm sorry," he mouthed. At that point she looked around them and realized the cafeteria was empty. As they looked at each other the bell rang, and they ran their separate ways.

Later that day:

Lauren walked briskly as she listened to the leaves crunch beneath her feet. The smell of cedar wood filled her senses. She closed her eyes, a nice breeze blew past and she listened to the birds. She could feel her backpack swing across her back as she walked on the uneven path. Nearly tripping over a stump, she reopened her eyes and laughed to herself. She was almost there, she could see the water in the distance. She hoped she would find him there.

Zac sat quietly on the rock, looking out over the water. It was their spot. He remembered the time they had walked out to this secluded area of the woods and found this little rock. He remembered, at the time, she was so small he had to help her jump to the rock, considering you had to cross a gap to get to it, where it was suspended over the lake. He heard the crackle of footsteps behind him, he knew she would come. He turned as she smiled back in reply.

Sitting down next to him with no words, Lauren opened her backpack. She pulled out two Wonka bars and handed one to Zac, it was their favorite candy bar. They ate in silence, watching the sun set on the water. Lauren licked her fingers when she was finished, Zac rubbed his hands on his shorts.

Zac ignored the sunset and looked at Lauren. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him. "What?" She licked her lips, fearful of a chocolate mustache.

"Nothing." He gave her a sideways grin.

She fiddled with her hands. "I'm sorry about today. I guess I should keep my burdens to myself."

"I was a jerk."

She laughed. "How many times have I heard that one?" He threw his wrapper at her and they giggled. "I swear it was real. "

"I really don't know what to say. I want to believe you, I really do."

"That's enough, I guess." She laid her head on his shoulder. He flinched slightly, he didn't like being touched. "Let's just watch the rest of the sunset."

Authors Note: Sorry if its way over generic. I'm kinda basing this off some of my real life experiences and me and my friend really do have this special rock that looks out over a lake and we eat Wonka bars all the time so i thought itd be interesting to throw in. Its a really choppy chapter...like most of mine end up, so i hope you guys are good at reading between the lines.


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